New Independent Review

[Tom_Wescott]

Merely to be mentioned on the same page as you is a huge honour and privilege, and, I assure you, a deeply humbling experience.

I've no doubt that's true. The only problem with being me is that I'll never know the privilege of seeing my name next to a name such as my own.

Or have you refrained from entering into the fictional arena?

Some might argue that's what I've been doing all along.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Adam Went]

Tom:

Indeed! Merely to be mentioned on the same page as you is a huge honour and privilege, and, I assure you, a deeply humbling experience.

Though I can't help but wonder how such a prodigy as yourself has not managed to make a living out of writing on its own, ala the great authors of the past - Dickens, Doyle, Thackeray, etc - as opposed to moping reminisces of "Casebook Examiner"? Surely they and their kind aren't even a blotch on your canvas of magnificence? Or have you refrained from entering into the fictional arena?

And so that makes it all the more humbling, that you would lower your prestigious standards to continue contributing to our humble periodicals.

Three cheers for Tom!

Cheers,
Adam.

[Tom_Wescott]

In all modesty...

Thanks, Lynn. I understand the Casebook Examiner boasted more subscribers than Ripperologist, and this is entirely due to my contributions to that journal. I'm a modest fellow, so I'm not personaly comfortable with that. I would say it's largely due to my contributions. I was sad when it folded after only a year, but was delighted that Don decided to do his own journal. He would only do it if I contributed a piece, so there it is. I only hope and pray that subscribers don't expect something from me every issue. That wouldn't be fair to the other contributors who by now must surely be tired of living in my shadow.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[lynn cates]

kudos

Hello Jonathan and Tom. I finished your articles and I can see you are up to your old tricks--researching and connecting the dots.

Kudos, lads.

Now, let's see what David is up to.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

unless Don breaks down and agrees to pay me more than that Hainsworth guy is getting.

To quote AP Wolf, “it's all about the Yankee $$“ (compared to the Aussie $), though nowadays with the crisis people have started saving up confederate money, which at least has historical value. :-)

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Mike, thanks for that. You know I like your stuff, and I hear there's more coming soon? As for me being prolific, I haven't written an article since early 2010, I just wrote a bunch at once and they've been getting published ever since. Bachert in Berner Street was the last, unless Don breaks down and agrees to pay me more than that Hainsworth guy is getting.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[mklhawley]

Hi Archaic, thank you for that. What sparked the article was my observation that Bachert, like Le Grand, first appeared on the Ripper scene immediately after the double event, and also like Le Grand, promoted a suspect that seemed completely fictitious. While pondering Bachert's place in the Ripper mystery, I realized that he described a man very much like Fanny Mortimer's (who subsequently turned out to be Leon Goldstein), who carried a black bag. I knew that the chatty Mortimer was talking up what she saw on the pavement of Berner Street, and I wondered if maybe Bachert didn't hear it there. I already knew that he had a beef with the Berner Street boys, so I built the article around that. Even though I don't personally think Bachert killed anybody, I think if that article had been published in the mid-90's, when Ripperology was not jaded at all, he would have grown into a full-blown suspect by now.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

Tom,

I always enjoy reading your articles. Keep on being prolific.

Mike

[Wickerman]

....While pondering Bachert's place in the Ripper mystery, I realized that he described a man very much like Fanny Mortimer's (who subsequently turned out to be Leon Goldstein), who carried a black bag.

Congratulations Tom, very interesting article. I did wonder what the basis was for the claim that the man Bachert saw was, "..the spitting image of Leon Goldstein", how do you establish that?
Then, this claim appears to be the basis for your subsequent suggestion that Bachert's story was concocted?
Though it has also struck me the over supply of men in morning-coats hovering around Stride moments before her death.

That was the only part I saw as suspicious, otherwise a nicely written article.

Regards, Jon S.

[Supe]

Bunny,

I've long thought him an intriguing character (umm- Bachert, not Tom )

Tom is quite intriguing himself. Indeed, there is much mystery attached to him (a picture of Tom ranks just behind those of MJK in life and Aberline among Ripperologists) and that coupled with his seeming endless cranking out of articles has created a rumor that "Tom Wescott" is actually a consortium of three men, a woman and a wonder horse operating out of an abandoned Air Force base in Oklahoma.

Don.

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Archaic, thank you for that. What sparked the article was my observation that Bachert, like Le Grand, first appeared on the Ripper scene immediately after the double event, and also like Le Grand, promoted a suspect that seemed completely fictitious. While pondering Bachert's place in the Ripper mystery, I realized that he described a man very much like Fanny Mortimer's (who subsequently turned out to be Leon Goldstein), who carried a black bag. I knew that the chatty Mortimer was talking up what she saw on the pavement of Berner Street, and I wondered if maybe Bachert didn't hear it there. I already knew that he had a beef with the Berner Street boys, so I built the article around that. Even though I don't personally think Bachert killed anybody, I think if that article had been published in the mid-90's, when Ripperology was not jaded at all, he would have grown into a full-blown suspect by now.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Archaic]

Congratulations Don, and thanks for all your hard work on the Review.

I particularly enjoyed Tom's article on Albert Bachert. I've long thought him an intriguing character (umm- Bachert, not Tom ) and it's very difficult to know what to make of him.

Best regards,
Archaic

[c.d.]

c.d.

There are some folks on here who will never be able to return to normal.

That supposes that at one time they were normal . . . which in some cases is dubious at best.

Don.

Amen.

c.d.

[Supe]

c.d.

There are some folks on here who will never be able to return to normal.

That supposes that at one time they were normal . . . which in some cases is dubious at best.

Don.

[c.d.]

Issue one of the New Independent Review is now out and features a "Pair of Jacks: the Saga of Melville Mcnaghten" by Jonathan Hainsworth; "Bachert of Berner Street" by Tom Wescott and a pair of short essays by David M. Gates on fixed point policing in 1888 and just how violent was Jack. There is also "According to Adam," a column by Adam Went and "Book 'em!" a column on detective fiction by Don Souden.

The issue is available free for download at http://newindependentreview.com/
Remember that the magazine is most eaily read in "Full Screen Mode." Use Escape to return to normal.

Enjoy this latest experience in magazines.

Don Souden.

There are some folks on here who will never be able to return to normal.

c.d.

[lynn cates]

ways of old folk

Hello Don. Not blase. Just takes old people a while to read through.

I'm already enjoying Hainsworth's article. Look forward to the rest--and, of course, subscribing to future issues.

Cheers.
LC